John gerard boss



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN GERARD ROSS, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

HAND-IPROPELLER.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, JOHN GERARD Ross, of the city, county, and State ofNew York, have invented, made, and applied to use a new and usefulImprovement in Propellers to be Operated by Hand; and I do herebydeclare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description ofthe cons-truction and operation of the same, reference being had to theannexed drawing, making part of this specifica-tion, wherein- Figure l,represents my improved propeller as in use at the stern of a boat. Fig.ip, is an edge view of the bucket, and Fig. 3 is a side view of thesame.

, Similar marks of reference indicate the same parts.

In the use of oars for row boats several inconveniences are experienced;the width required for their use often causes trouble in approaching avessel or other object, or passing through narrow spaces; and for thepurposes of war, the oar is inconvenient both on account of the noise itmakes and the room required among a fleet of boat-s. For sportingpurposes the oar is also illy adapted to use, because on approachinggame the noise and motion of the rower are very readily discerned, andthe game flies away.

The nature of my invention consists in applying to a ducks footpropeller so litted as to be actuated by hand, a plate that adapts saidpropeller to muddy bottoms or banks of' streams, and lance points alsoadapting said propeller to use with ice or in whale fisheries, &c.

In t-he drawing a, is a handle or pole of the desired length, with afork on the end that is attached by joints L, Z), to the bucket orpropeller c, in such a manner that said bucket can turn on the jointsZ), I), into a position either parallel with or at rightI angles to saidhandle.

CZ, is a leg or strut attached to the handle a, and entering within ahole or flanch l, on the bucket c, when the said bucket is at rightangles or nearly so to the handle a, which hole or flanch 1, preventsthe foot of said strut slipping on the propeller or bucket.

The operation of this hand propeller will Specication of Letters PatentNo. 14,973, dated May 27, 1856.

be obvious, for when forced in the opposite direction toV that of theboat the bucket will turn down at right angles to the handle and becomea resistance against which to push the boat, and when drawn back, saidbucket will turn up and pass edgewise through the water as seen in Fig.l, by dotted lines.

Then this propeller is to be used under circumstances of exposure todrifting ice, points 2, 2, are to be attached on the opposite side tothe joints b, which also serve as boat hooks when required.

If this propeller is to be used in situations where shallow water andmud exist, I att-ach onto the lower part of the bucket the plate e, thatis formed with studs passing through the bucket and mortises receivingsplit keys or similar means of attachment and beneath this plate e, is abracket retaining the same at such an angle from the plate as to act inthe best manner when forced down onto the mud, said plate preventing thebucket sliding over the mud.

My improved propeller is also well adapted to whale fishery and similarpurposes, on account of its noislessness, and when used in this capacityI make use of the lance points f, attached to the bucket in place of theplate c, see Fig. 4C, and by means of these lance points the bucket maybe fastened to a whale or similar fish, or in rivers containingalligators or crocodiles, or in bays with porpoises, this propeller withthe lance points f, would be far more serviceable than the commo-n oar.Two struts or feet CZ may be used instead of only one.

I do not claim a bucket moving on hinges in itself as this is well knownin propellers for steam vessels, and is generally7 known as the ducksfoot propeller, but

lVhat I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is The plate e, andlance points f, in connection with the propelling bucket constructed andoperating as specified.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my signature this eighth day ofApril, 1856.

JOHN GERARD ROSS. Vitnesses:

I-I. S. LINCOLN, LEMUEL W. SERRELL.

